On This Date

U2 Concerts featuring performances from The Joshua Tree

U2 has performed 932 concerts featuring songs from The Joshua Tree.

The Joshua Tree was the fifth studio album by U2, released March 9, 1987. The album was recorded between January 1986 and January 1987 at a variety of locations in Dublin, including STS Studios, Windmill Lane Studios, Danesmoate House and Melbeach. The album saw the return of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, working as producers on their second U2 album.

The album was inspired by U2’s time in America, and their growing appreciation of American artists, and discovery of the blues. Recording of the album was interrupted in June of 1986 when U2 would join other artists for the Conspiracy of Hope tour in the United States.

Five songs were released as singles from the album. “With or Without You”, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “Where the Streets Have No Name” were all issued worldwide. “One Tree Hill” was released in Australia and New Zealand, while “In God’s Country” was issued as a single in North America. The song “Sweetest Thing” which was released as a single in 1998 also came from the sessions for The Joshua Tree, and initially was released as a b-side to the song “Where the Streets Have No Name”.

The cover of the album was photographed in the Mojave Desert by Anton Corbijn. The cover features a Joshua tree that would later come to give the album its name.

The album was reissued in 2007 for the 20th anniversary of the original release. The release included a second audio CD which collected the b-sides from the singles released to promote The Joshua Tree as well as adding additional tracks that had not previously been released. An accompanying DVD included a concert recorded in Paris on the Joshua Tree tour.

The Joshua Tree during its original release was a chart success, reaching #1 around the world including on the UK Albums Chart and the Billboard 200 Chart in the US. The song “With or Without You” would be U2’s first #1 charting single in the USA.